Electrically-controlled door.



Patented Nov.

WW m K. T M a s k W mm J Wm N Z 7 m M a md W C. KROEGEL & H. E. WAINRIGHT.

ELECTRICALLY CONTROLLED DOOR.

APPLICATION HLED MAY I7. 1916.

CHARLES KROEGEL AND ROBERT E. WAINRIG-HT, 0F OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

ELECTRICALLY-CONTROLLED DOOR.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Nov, 12 1918,

Application filed May 17, 1916. Serial No. 98,235.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES KROEGEL and ROBERT E. WAINRIGHT, citizens of the United States, residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrically-Controlled Doors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in trap doors and more particularly to a door adapted to close the manhole about the pole in firehouses down which the firemen slide from one floor to another.

The principal object of our invention is to provide a closure which fits closely around the pole thereby closely covering the hole and so prevent drafts and disagreeable odors from passing from the lower floors to the living quarters of the firemen.

Another object of our invention is to provide an improved latch mechanism by which the door is automatically released when a fire alarm is sounded.

Another object is to provide an improved spring means to automatically raise the door when released by the latch, and

Still another object is to provide means which enables the door to pass'the pole and yet provide a tight closure therefor when the door is in its closed position.

With these and other objects in view our invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts herein illustrated and more specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

Reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification,

Figure l is a view in plan showing the door in its closed position.

Fig. 2 is a view in section through the ,door on the line 2-2, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view in section on 3-3 Fig. 1. 7

Fig. 4 is a view in plan of the electromagnet device by which the latch is released,the cover plate thereof being removed.

Fig. 5 is a view in section on 55, Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan View of the latch mechanism.

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal view through the said latch.

Referring to the corresponding parts of the several views by the same numerals of reference, 1 denotes the floor in which is provided the opening 2, surrounding a pole 3, down which the men may slide through the flaps having hinges 9. Each of these hinges comprises a leaf 10, which is slidably mounted on the pin 11 held inthe other leaf 12. The latter leaf is of such length that the leaf 10 may slide on the pin thereof, such sliding movement being caused by means of springs 13 having one end attached to the flaps and the other end attached to the main part of the door. Each of these flaps is provided with a shoulder 14, which rests 011 the edge of the hole so that when the door is in its closed position these flaps are held against the action of the spring, but as soon as the door is slightly raised this shoulder is moved above the edge of the opening, thereby allow-- ing the springs 13 to slide the hinge portion 10 on the pin so that the inner edge of the flaps assume the position shown in the dotted lines at A Fig. 1, whereby when the door is further raised the flaps fall down by gravity and permit the door to pass the pole.

The door is raised by meansof certain springs, which we prefer to construct as follows: A cylindrical casing 15 is provided closed on each end. by means of caps 16 and 17 the latter being provided with a lug 18, by which it is pivotally mounted in a suitable support 19. The former cap is provided with an opening through which is slidably mounted a rod 20, this rod having a plunger 21 on its inner end and being pivotally mounted in a stand 22 on its outer end. The plunger 21 is provided with a .cup shaped washer 23, thereby making a substantially airtight piston, which is adapted to cushion the opening of'the door. .A spring 24: is interposed between'the cap 16 andthe piston 21 tending to force the piston toward the opposite cap, which latter is provided with a small opening 25 regulatablc by means of screw 26, so that the escape of air in front of the piston may be made as slow as desired, to give the proper cushion to the door.

' On the side opposite the hinges 6 are provided one or more latches, denoted in general by 30, these latches consist of a suitable casing 31 having the ears 32 by which it is attached to the under side of the door and in the side of the opening is provided a strike plate 32 having an opening 33 from the bolt to the latch. The latch consists of the bolt 34 having the rod like extension 35 slidably mounted in an opening '36 in the rear end of casing 31, said opening being large enough to permit angular movement of the latch. A spring 37 is interposed bctween the back edge of the casing and the head of the bolt thereby tending to extend the latter into the opening of the latch plate. A knurled nut 38 is provided on rod 35 on the outside of the casing whereby the extension of the bolt and tension of the spring may be regulated.

On each side of the bolt are bellcrank levers 40, these levers being pivotally mounted as at 41 in the upper part of the casing and having a pin 42 extending from one to the other through a slot 43 in the bolt. On the opposite end is pivotally mounted a member 44 to which is attached operating rod 45, this rod extending to the electro-magnet release mechanism contained within the case, denoted by 50. This mechanism consists of a pair of electromagnets 51 connected up with the fire alarm system in a manner well known in the art, said magnets having an armature 52, attached to rods 53 which in turn are slidably mounted in lugs 54 and the rear end of the casing as shown at 55.

Attached intermediate the ends of these rods is a plate 56. A rod 57 is attached to this plate between the rods 53, the former also extending through the rear of the easing and being provided with adjusting nuts having a spring 58 interposed between the L- shaped plate 56 and the casing. A shaft 60 is revolubly mounted in the front end of the casing and has attached thereon a latch bar 61' which is adapted to be brought under the plate 56 to be retained in this position until the latter is moved by theoperation of the electro-magnets. A spring 62 is arranged in any suitable manner and tends to raise this arm to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5, the cover plate 63 being provided with an are shaped portion 64 to allow such movement. The shaft 60 extends through the side of the casing and the ends thereof are out in a semi-circular form to provide an abutment as shown at 66, and the rods 45 from the latches rest against the lower half of this abutment, so long as the arm 61 is under the latch plate 56. In this manner the bell crank levers are held against pivotal movement and the latch can only move rectilinearly.

The operation of our invention is as follows: Whenever themagnets 51 are energized, the armature 52 is pulled up releasing member 61 from under the plate 56.

The shaft 60, under the action of the spring 62 is rotated a quarter turn so that the flat- 32. As long as the rod 45 is prevented from slipping backwardly, the latch bolt 34 can not swing inthe opening 36, but when the rod 45 is released, the bell crank levers, being free to swing, permit the rocking movement of the bolt, and as a consequence the dooris free to move upwardly. As soon as the door has moved up the thickness of the shoulder under the flange 14, flaps 8 are moved outwardly under the action of springs 13, allowing the door to swing free of the pole 3.

l/Vhen closing the door the rods 45 are placed back of the shaft 66 and the finger 61 engaged under plate 56, the door is then pressed down the bolt 34 being free to slide back on account of slot 43. The flaps 8 which had previously been raised above the surface of the door are then shoved back against the pole and into place.

WVhile we have shown the preferred form of our invention it will be understood that changes may be made in details of construction and design without departing from the spirit thereof.

lVhat we claim as new and wish'to cover by Letters Patent is l. A closure for the opening about a sliding pole of fire engine houses comprising a door hinged to one side of the opening, spring means for raisingthe door, said door having a slot to permit movement past the pole, flaps for closing said slot, hinge connections between the flaps and said door having means to permit of a free longitudinal sliding movement of the flaps, and means acting normally toimpart suchlongitudinal movement to the flaps.

2. A closure for the opening about a sliding pole of fire engine houses comprising a door hinged to one side of the opening, spring means for raising the door, said door having a slot to permit movement past said pole, flaps hinged to said door and mounted to have a free longitudinal sliding movement, and springs acting to move said flaps longitudinally outward, the outer ends of said flaps being provided with abutments to limit outward movement thereof when the door is closed.

3. A closure for the opening about the sliding pole in fire houses, comprising a door hinged on one side of the said door, said door having a slot to permitthe door to swing past said pole, flaps hinged to the sides of said slot to form a closure therefor slidable upon the pin of the the outer edges of said door and saidflaps having a shoulder extending into said opening and a flange resting on the outer edge thereof, spring means for raising said door and latches for holding said door against said spring means.

4:. A closure for the opening about the sliding pole of fire houses comprising a door hinged on one side of said opening and having a slot to permit it to swing past said pole, hinges connecting said flaps to said door one leaf of each of said hinges being other leaf, springs adapted to cause such sliding movement and a shoulder on the ends of said flaps engaging the edge of the opening to prevent such movement when the door is closed.

5. A closure for the opening about the sliding pole of fire houses comprising, a door hinged on one side of said opening and having a slot to permit the door swinging past said pole, flaps adapted to close said opening, spring means for opening said door, latches for holding said door closed and electrical means for releasing said latches.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures.

CHARLES KROEGEL. ROBERT E. WAINRIGHT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

